This invention relates to releasable tape cartridge mounting arrangements and more particularly to an improved tape cartridge mounting for mounting a tape cartridge in a vertical orientation and retaining the cartridge in predetermined alignment with the tape driving and transducer portions of a tape deck.
A tape cartridge unit and a releasable cartridge mounting is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,458 issued to W. P. Doby et al., Aug. 31, 1971, and assigned to the assignee of this invention, and the present invention is directed to a releasable mounting for the cartridge unit described in the aforementioned patent. The cartridge unit is held in the cartridge mounting of the aforementioned patent by an outer plate that overlaps the upper forward portion of the cartridge along the open end thereof. A pair of leaf springs carried by the cartridge engage the overlapping outer plate to hold the cartridge against a base plate supporting the bottom of the cartridge. A pair of notched posts fit through locator holes in the rear bottom of the cartridge to support the cartridge vertically and hold the rear bottom part of the cartridge against the base plate. A pair of flat plates extend adjacent the side of the cartridge to guide the cartridge into the proper position during insertion and retain the lateral positioning of the cartridge upon final insertion. Reel driving hubs of the tape drive assembly include pins which are received within complementary shaped holes of the driven hubs of the supply and take-up reels.
While the aforementioned arrangement is satisfactory, it has been found that in some instances variations in manufacturing causes slight misalignment of the mating parts of the tape deck mounting arrangements and the cartridge. For example, if the cartridge is not held flush with the base plate of the mounting arrangement, there is a misalignment between the center line of the tape and the magnetic transducer head causing improper or incomplete transfer of information between the transducer head and plural recording tracks of the tape. Further, the driver pins of the driving hub may not be properly aligned for fitting within the driven reel hubs which may cause one of the reels to be drivingly engaged while the other is not. Spillage of tape occurs as one of the reels is driven while the other is not. It is also important that the mounting arrangement permit free and quick insertion of the cartridge into the mounting so that it immediately assumes the correct aligned orientation without additional correction or extensive inspection. The cartridges are often inserted and removed continuously during daily work periods in data processing apparatus handling the cartridges.